Gout Gout has snubbed Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles when naming his favourite athlete.
The Australian sprinter, 17, has made waves over the past 18 months as one of the brightest young talents in athletics.
Gout broke Usain Bolt's record to make him the fastest under-16 sprinter over 200 metres in athletics history.
He holds personal bests of 10.17 - an Australian U18 record - over 100 metres, and an even more impressive 20.02 - an Oceanian record - over 200 metres.
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Gout qualified for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, and finished in fourth place in the semi-finals to narrowly miss out on a spot in the 200m final.
Australian media stated afterwards that he had 'captured the imagination of the country', with the Sydney Morning Herald writing that he had produced an 'A-grade performance'.
He is also adept over longer distances, winning over 400 metres at a Queensland schools meet in October with a time of 46.18.
Gout turns 18 later this month and, in 2026, is set to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
He has now given one of his first interviews to British media, speaking to the Daily Mail's Oliver Holt.
When asked to name his favourite athlete, however, Gout did not opt for potential future rival Noah Lyles, or 100 and 200-metre world record holder Bolt.
Instead, the Manchester City fan went for Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi.
"If there was one sporting event I could go to," he says. "It would be the World Cup final.
"I stayed up into the middle of the night to watch the final in 2022 between Argentina and France, when Kylian Mbappe started that comeback and it went to penalties. I was shouting and screaming. I think I woke the whole house up."
While Messi has been the face of his nation, and of Barcelona, for many years, Gout has the chance to do likewise at the 2032 Olympics, which will be held in Brisbane - not just part of his home nation, but part of his home state.
Gout will still only be 24 by then, and will no doubt be presented as one of the poster athletes of the Games should his sensational rise continue.
The 17-year-old says that the attention surrounding him at the World Athletics Championships gave him an indication of how to deal with the increase in pressure that comes with performing on the biggest stages.
"I felt the step up. It's the biggest stage, apart from the Olympics.
"I learned a lot for sure about myself and how to deal with the pressure. And I think just the way I held myself, I was pretty happy with that.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself, being a young kid and just trying to be the best I possibly can. So I think I learned to try to have a bit of fun with it. I definitely learned that the more fun I have with it, the better I compete, the more I enjoy it."
Topics: Gout Gout, Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles, Athletics, Football, Manchester City
Ryan Smart